Wine press review for Thursday, August 27, 2026!

Good morning,

The day highlights a sector undergoing rapid transformation: early harvest, high inventories, more selective consumption and pressure on prices , but also interesting signs from sparkling wines, consumption by the glass, sustainability and new technologies.

ITALIAN WINERIES

Farewell to Vittorio Frescobaldi, a leading figure in Tuscan wine worldwide.

Italian wine says goodbye to Vittorio Frescobaldi , a key figure in the international development of Tuscan winemaking. Together with his brothers Ferdinando and Leonardo, he contributed to the growth of the historic family business, focusing on foreign markets and the promotion of Tuscany's great terroirs. This entrepreneurial and cultural legacy is now continued by his son Lamberto.

Contini begins its 128th harvest in Sardinia

The historic Sardinian winery's 128th harvest has begun at the Contini estates in the Lower Tirso Valley and Sinis. The first grapes harvested were Nieddera and Vernaccia, destined for sparkling wines. In a year characterized by heat and accelerated ripening, precision in choosing the right harvest time is crucial to preserving freshness and acidity.

The grape harvest is becoming increasingly social

From Banfi to Terra Moretti, Settesoli, Masi Agricola, Tasca d'Almerita, Masciarelli, Tenuta San Guido, Umani Ronchi, Venica, Terlano, Mezzacorona, and Berlucchi , numerous wineries are sharing the start of the 2026 harvest on social media. The harvest thus also becomes a communication tool capable of bringing consumers and regions closer together.

Antica Bottega del Vino: a glass of wine accounts for 40% of the company's turnover.

Verona's historic Antica Bottega del Vino reported 6% revenue growth in the first half of 2026. The proportion of sales by the glass is particularly significant, accounting for approximately 40% of revenue , confirming the growing interest in more flexible consumption options than full-bottle sales.

Alto Adige: quality sparkling wines without chasing large volumes

Alto Adige sparkling wines have reached approximately 600,000 bottles per year , but producers intend to maintain a niche position. The objective set by the Alto Adige Wine Consortium is to favor high-quality Metodo Classico wines and particularly suitable vineyards, without making quantitative growth the primary objective.

ITALIAN WINE AND OENOLOGY

Large-scale retail trade: wine sales are decreasing, but value is holding up. Sparkling wines are growing.

In the 12 months ending in July 2026, Italian large-scale retail trade sold 414 million litres of wine , down 3.4%, for a value of 1.8 billion euros , down 1.2%.

Sparkling wines, on the other hand, are bucking the trend: 1% in volume and 1.2% in value . Prosecco is doing well, but especially Italian Metodo Classico, which is growing by 7.6% in quantity and 6.2% in value .

2026 Harvest: The Real Problem Is Inventory

Drought is reducing grape yields, but the decline in production may not be enough to rebalance the market. As of July 31, 2026, Italian wineries produced 45.6 million hectoliters of wine and must , an 8.2% increase over the previous year.

The situation is weighing heavily on red wines in particular and fuels a paradox: in some areas, producers are looking to a less abundant harvest as a potential way to rebalance supply and demand.

Grape prices under pressure

High inventories and slowing demand are also impacting grape prices. In Valpolicella, offers for grapes destined for Amarone are reported at around €1.20/kg , below what is considered economically correct. Concerns are also emerging in other Italian regions.

Capaldo: "The problem is oversupply."

According to Antonio Capaldo, president of Feudi di San Gregorio , the Italian sector must first address the quantitative imbalance between supply and demand. Pressure on consumption has been compounded by accumulated stocks along the supply chain and high production in recent years.

Early harvest: the importance of precision grows

Smaller grapes, accelerated sugar maturation, and increasingly narrow harvest windows characterize the 2026 harvest. The experience of several wineries confirms how daily monitoring of the vineyard has become essential to identifying the correct time for harvest.

Valpolicella already harvested and more careful management of volumes

The Corvina harvest began approximately two weeks earlier than the historical average . The Consortium estimates a harvest of just over 861,000 quintals, essentially in line with 2025, but introduces storage of 172,280 quintals, equal to 20% of production .

South Tyrol is increasingly sustainable

There are 2,897 SQNPI-certified wineries in South Tyrol , covering approximately 3,913 hectares . Integrated production now covers over two-thirds of the province's vineyards, strengthening the path toward more sustainable viticulture.

Alcohol-dealers: Growing interest and technology investments

Alcohol-free and low-alcohol wines remain a niche market, but consumer interest, especially among international consumers, is growing. More and more wineries are therefore evaluating dealcohol removal technologies and systems, even those shared at the local level.

Trentino: "ganzega" recognized

The traditional "ganzega," a form of occasional, unpaid assistance between farmers, also becomes operational during the grape harvest and harvest season. This measure is particularly useful for small businesses during periods of increased labor demand.

INTERNATIONAL AND NEW CONSUMPTION

Consumers drink fewer bottles and more glasses

An interesting finding comes from the restaurant market: wine consumption isn't decreasing equally across all formats. According to the experience shared by a historic Roman wine bar, bottle sales have significantly decreased, while demand for wine by the glass has increased.

This phenomenon, confirmed by the Antica Bottega del Vino experience, suggests a shift in consumption patterns: less quantity, greater choice, and a focus on the experience.

New York Times: Three Italian wines among the late-summer offerings

Eric Asimov's selection of 12 wines for late summer also includes three Italian labels . The main criteria aren't the wine's color, but rather its lightness, drinkability, and generally lower alcohol content (13.5%).

EVENTS, TASTINGS AND WINE CULTURE

Cinema in the Cellar 2026

From September 9th to 11th, "Cinema in Cantina," promoted by the Consortium for the Protection of DOC Prosecco, returns to the province of Treviso. Three free evenings include guided tours, Prosecco DOC tastings, and open-air cinema in the vineyards, with sport as the theme for this ninth edition.

Vinestate 2026: Sannio takes center stage

From September 3rd to 6th, Torrecuso hosts the 51st edition of Vinestate , with 18 wineries showcasing the wines of Taburno. This year's theme is "Sannio on the Road to the 2027 America's Cup," connecting wine, territory, tourism, and international visibility.

Franciacorta Festival in the Cellar

Starting September 18th, I Barisèi will be participating in the Franciacorta in Cantina Festival with sunset tastings, guided tours, and the opportunity to observe the disgorging line firsthand, sharing one of the most characteristic stages of Franciacorta production with the public.

AIS Veneto: sommelier courses resume

The AIS Veneto courses resume in September. They are divided into three levels and are aimed at both enthusiasts and professionals. The program covers tasting, grape varieties, terroirs, winemaking techniques, and wine and food pairing.

Wine as a place of community

In L'Aquila, the "Quarto in Cantina" initiative, hosted by Cantina del Boss, also highlights the social dimension of wine: not just an agricultural and commercial product, but an opportunity for encounters, culture, and connections between people and the region.

PICTURE OF THE DAY

August 27, 2026 returns the image of an Italian wine that must face above all a problem of balance between production, supplies and demand .

High inventories and price pressure indicate that simply producing well isn't enough: it's becoming increasingly important to produce what the market can truly absorb and protect the product's value . Large-scale retail data, however, show that consumers aren't simply abandoning wine: they're changing the way they buy and consume it.

Sparkling wines and the Classic Method are growing , wine by the glass is gaining ground, sustainability and precision in the vineyard are becoming competitive elements, and even dealcoholized wines are starting to enter the strategies of some companies.

The message that emerges is therefore more complex than the simple “wine crisis”: the market is selecting products, territories, formats and consumption models .

For Italian wineries, the challenge will be to adapt production and positioning to real demand, avoiding simply chasing volumes and returning to focusing on value, territorial identity, quality, communication, and commercial capacity .

Today's wine press review is brought to you by WINEIDEA.IT.

See you tomorrow.